BBC defends daytime sex talk on Radio 4

The BBC has defended the inclusion of sex scenes in the middle of the day on
Radio 4, as its head of editorial standards says it is an “adult-orientated”
station which will not change its content for the school holidays.

The corporation had received complaints after several programmes made references to sex in the daytime, including The Archers, the Diary of Samuel Pepys and the Woman’s Hour drama.

Roger Mahony, editor of editorial standards at Radio 4, has now defended the BBC’s decision to broadcast, after critics pointed out children may have been listening during the school holidays.

One listener, speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Feedback programme, complained of “distinct sexual noises” during the broadcast of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, while another highlighted the use of the word “c—k” during the Woman’s Hour 15 Minute drama.

Others mentioned a scene in The Archers, in which a trembling Helen speaks of her “longing” for Rob, saying it as a “step too far”.

“Please can all the grunts and grinds of people humping each other stop,” said one. “We don’t need that – we’d rather hear the pigs doing it.”

Mr Mahony admitted there had been “edgy content” in some programmes, but said that each example was a “manageable situation in which we can prepare the audience for what they’re going to hear”.

He said: “If we think the programmes are appropriate to the audience, they’re of sufficient quality and are the sort of thing an adult-orientated audience should be presenting, then yes, it’s about laying the groundwork so that we don’t ambush the audience with content which some people might think is inappropriate for them or for other members of their family.”

He added the station was “very sensitive” to school holidays, but said there was “no one-size-fits-all solution” to the long period children may be listening.

“The solution here is not actually to start changing the nature or the mix of programmes and subjects, but perhaps to start to inform the audience and make sure they’re aware of the types of programmes that are coming up,” he said.

“And parents can take their own decisions about what they want to have on while their children are listening.”

He added that “taste does evolve” and that the issues were a “matter of judgment”, confirming that the station “may have to recalibrate” if it received more complaints.